[Communication & Media Studies](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 16 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for communication & media studies students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the communication & media studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
University Of Nebraska At Omaha earned the #1 spot for value among communication & media studies schools in Nebraska. University Of Nebraska At Omaha is a large public school located in the city of Omaha. Students from in state pay about $8,718 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $23,206. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $23,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from University Of Nebraska At Omaha generally make around $41,327. Set against $23,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Nebraska At Omaha admits about 87% of applicants.
Wayne State College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the town of Wayne, Wayne State College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,171. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $25,325. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $35,833. That is a strong return on a $25,325 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in communication & media studies will find it at University Of Nebraska Lincoln, which ranked #3. University Of Nebraska Lincoln is a very large public school located in the city of Lincoln. In-state tuition and fees average $10,434, compared with $28,584 for out-of-state students. Communication & Media Studies graduates carry a median of $22,138 in student loans. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from University Of Nebraska Lincoln generally make around $39,702. Set against $22,138 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Nebraska Lincoln admits about 88% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Bellevue University earned it the #4 place for communication & media studies. Set in the suburb of Bellevue, Bellevue University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,873. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $27,852. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Bellevue University earn a median of $61,548 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,852 median debt.
Creighton University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value communication & media studies schools. Located in the city of Omaha, Creighton University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $48,856. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $25,831. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Creighton University earn a median of $64,369 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,831 median debt. Creighton University admits about 80% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
